1General

These rules are intended to allow players to simulate
ground attack missions in CD games without delaying the ground action unduly.
They sacrifice some detail compared to the official rules.

The rules only seek to simulate attacks in the area
local to the battle. They are only interested in whether a plane makes its
attack or not and do not seek to determine the reason why a plane did not make
an attack.

2Turn Sequence

Arrival of air attacks is diced for before the IDF
phase. Model planes are placed somewhere on the table edge

Planes are placed on table at the END of the movement
phase after all ground movement has taken place. Side A places fighters, then
side B places fighters. Side A places ground attack then side B places ground
attack. Once all planes are placed on the table roll for re-direction

Side B is the side with air superiority and/or the
better pilots. This should be specified in the game scenario. In pick-up games,
or scenarios where it’s not clear which side had an advantage, use initiative
order.

Flak fire at planes at the END of the movement fire
phase: i.e. after all ground elements have moved and planes have been placed at
their final attack points.

Ground attack takes place in its own sub phase immediately
before opportunity fire (so air attacks will suppress before opportunity fire
can take place)

3Arrival

Arrival of air assets over the tabletop will be
governed by the scenario. It’s suggested some sort of random roster is used as
it was rare that any ground commander at the command level simulated in CDTOB
had control of what assets were allocated to him and their exact arrival time.

4Air to Air Combat

All fighters have a 12” patrol radius. The radius
prevents all enemy air attacks within unless it its neutralised by an enemy
fighter. Where a friendly and an enemy radius overlap the two areas neutralise
each other and ground attack missions are allowed in the overlap area. A
friendly radius only neutralises one enemy radius so if there is a pair of Fw‑190
flying and a single Spitfire German ground attack would be allowed within the Fw’s
radius and British ground attack would not. German ground attack would only be
prohibited where the Spitfire’s radius was not overlapped by either of the
Fw-190

Flak has no effect on fighters unless they strafe

Some fighters and pilots are better
than others; to take account of this, when designing a scenario, assume it
takes fewer good planes to give an aircraft model over the table. For example
in the USSR in 1941 the German model may represent four Bf-109E’s and the
Russian model eight I-153’s

5Ground Attack

5.1Philosophy

The rules do not differentiate different planes and
minor differences in bomb loads. So the rules treat a Stuka and a rocket firing
Typhoon the same. There are three types of ground-attack aircraft considered:

Planes with no other type of attack may make a
strafing attack assuming they have at least a pair of MG’s. Anti-armour planes
may make a strafing attack if there are no eligible vehicles on table in the
open.

5.2Target Selection

No air attacks are allowed when visibility is less
than 20”

Generally air attacks are only effective verses
targets in the open. Stands on rivers, roads, trails or similar through woods
are eligible for attack, unless the scenario says otherwise. Targets in open
blocking terrain are eligible for attack unless the scenario says otherwise. If
there is a FAC or ALO who has spotted a target on the edge of cover that is
also eligible for attack.

Troops in fortifications (bunkers, trenches etc) are
valid targets for all attacks as long as the fortifications are in the open.

CDTOB spotting rules are not used

The player making the attack must select a target
point for the aircraft, marking it on the table with a counter. His opponent
can then select and alternative point within 24”, also marking it with a
counter. The owning player then rolls a d10, 1-8 his chosen point is attacked,
9-10 the alternative point is attacked. Note that this means attacks on
friendly forces are possible if the first point is close to the front line.

If there is a friendly FAC/ALO within LOS of the
primary selected target point, or the primary point is marked with smoke, then
the primary point will be attacked on a 1-9 and the alternate only on a 10

Targets can be marked with smoke by artillery only if
the scenario allows it. One divisional level or higher battery must be
designated as the marking battery. To mark the target make a successful IDF
request, per the usually artillery rules. You may not use H&I fire to mark
targets. There is no HE or suppression effect on a marked target.

Once the target point is selected place the aircraft
model at that point. The defender must conduct AA fire (In effect this means
enemy batteries must engage if in range even if the plane is attacking its
alternative point). Friendly AA never engages friendly planes

5.3Bombing and Rocket Attacks

A fighter bomber has a 2” square HE template with an
attack factor of 7.

A light attack has a 1” square HE template with an
attack factor of 6

The template is placed at the target point. Roll for
each target in the template once, use the standard IDF HE modifiers, plus the
modifiers due to AA fire (see below)

5.4Anti-Armour Attacks

An anti armour plane may make two[1]
attacks on the same or different vehicles within a 6” square. The vehicles
chosen must be the two closest to the designated target point. The hit number
is 5[2]
modified by reductions due to AA fire. If a hit is achieved then roll for
penetration against the target’s side armour, use the close range penetration
factor

Anti-armour attacks on non-vehicles have no effect
other than to cause a morale check

5.4.1Penetration

CD

Bob

Bü-181 (Panzerfaust)*

?

11

Fw-190F (Panzerblitz I Rockets – 12/44 to 2/45)

7

7

Fw-190F (Panzerblitz II Rockets – 3/45+)

12

11

Hs-129 (30mm)

8

9

Hs-129 (37mm)

7

8

Hs-129 (75mm)

11

12

Hurricane IID

5

6

Il-2/37

4

5

Ju-87G

7

8

Ju-88P (50mm)

7

9

Yak-9T

4

5

Yak-9K

6

8

*Bu-181 is not
a good system – 1 attack only which hits on a 3

CD –is rated using the CD TOB penetration system, Bob
is using my own rating system

5.5Strafing

Strafing is only effective against personnel, soft
transport and weak AFVs. A strafe works the same was as an anti-armour attack
except it is treated as small arms (no AP factor)

5.6Morale Effects

The -2 on morale for an air strike effects ALL stands
within 12” of the strike: friendly and enemy

2)Single or twin MG or Single or
twin HMG vs. most aircraft excepting: wooden, canvas or any Japanese aircraft

Note that 1-3 results have no effect on an artillery
spotter

7Example

An Hs-129 antitank aircraft arrives over the table.
First the German player places a counter at his chosen target point, a mass of
6 T-34’s. His opponent then places an alternative point within 24”. As the
German attack is close to the front line the Russian player chooses at pair of
Hetzers 20” away. A dice is rolled to see which target is chosen. The German
player rolls a 7, the Hs-129 pilot has good eyes! The Hs-129 model is placed at
the target point. The Russian player has a 37mm M1939 AA 10” away and a quad
maxim 6” away, both are eligible for AA fire. The Russian player chooses the
maxim first and rolls a 4. A 4 is a re-roll for quadruple weapons so the
Russian player rolls again getting a 2. This gives a -2 penalty to hit for the
Hs-123’s attack. Next the Russian player rolls for the 37mm and rolls a 1. This
gives a -1 penalty to hit for the Hs-123’s attack; as Maxim already caused a -2
penalty this is a net -3 penalty on the Hs-129’s attack.

The German player has to attack the T-34 closest to
the target point. He chooses to make his two attacks on different targets, so
selects the next closest T-34 too. In both cases the roll required for a hit is
5 -3 (the AA penalty) = 2. The German player rolls a 1 and a 6 so the closest
T-34 is hit in the flank armour

8Shoot Downs (Campaigns only)

If a plane is shot by AA for on a 10 and does not save
then it’s possible its shot down. Roll on the standard CDTOB hit results table,
if an eliminated result is achieved the plane is shot down.

If fighters area’s overlap then each rolls a 2d10 and
applies the LOWEST to the standard CDTOB hit results table, if an eliminated
result is achieved the plane is shot down.

9Artillery Spotter Planes

9.1Arrival

When a spotter is placed on the table it can be placed
as the owning player wishes. When it is subject to AA fire. Minuses do not
affect the spotter, so the only possible result that can harm the spotter is an
abort.

The chances of having a spotter over
the table will usually be much greater than the chance of an attack aircraft of
fighter

9.2Fighters

In any turn where the enemy has a fighter plane on the
table the spotter is assumed to be evading and may not call fire that turn

9.3Spotting and Calling Fire

Fire may be called against any stand or fortification
that can be spotted from the location at which the owning player placed the
spotter plane; there is no bonus for elevation. The spotter is considered as
recce. Add 10" to all measured ranges for spotting. So if a target is
2" from the spotter it is spotted as if it is at 2+10=12"